1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power generation system and a fuel supply method for generating electric power at isolated areas such as an isolated island.
This application is based on the Japanese Patent Application No. Hei 12-131649, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
A general power generation system transmits electric power generated at the large-scale thermal power plant, hydraulic power plant, atomic power plant, etc. to consumers using transmission lines.
The transmission method using transmission lines is suitable for the area having large population or population density. However, this transmission method is not efficient for the areas which have a small population density and are isolated from these power plants, because transmission loss increases depending on the transmission distance. Therefore, this transmission method is not suitable for such areas. Consequently, many isolated areas such as isolated islands having a small population density have not been supplied electric power yet.
In consideration of the above described problems with conventional technology, it is an object of the present invention to provide a power generation system and a fuel supply method which are suitable for the isolated areas.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, the present invention provides a power generation system comprising an electric power generation facility which is arranged on an isolated area, generates electric power using an energy source obtainable on the isolated area, and supplies the electric power to the isolated area.
According to this power generation system, it is not necessary to transmit electric power generated outside of the isolated area to the isolated area using transmission lines. In other words, the electric power generated in the isolated area is used in the isolated area; therefore, a transmission loss is extremely small. Thus, this power generation system is suitable for the isolated areas having a small population density.
Moreover, the xe2x80x9cisolated areaxe2x80x9d means an area that is far away from a metropolitan area, has a small population density, and where no or an extremely small amount of electric power is supplied, such as an isolated island, mountainous area, etc.
A second aspect of the present invention is the first power generation system, wherein the power generation system further comprises a battery device for storing the electric power generated by the electric power generation facility.
For example, when a solar cell or a wind mill is used as the power generation device in this power generation system, the output of electric power varies in response to weather variations. In addition, the amount of electric power required by the consumer varies during a day. According to this power generation system, it is possible to store the excess electric power and expend it as the need arises.
A third aspect of the present invention is the first power generation system, wherein the electric power generation facility comprises a plurality of electric power generation apparatuses which generate electric power using a different energy source respectively.
In this power generation system, the electric power generation facility using an energy source which is influenced by weather variations, such as wind force, and the electric power generation facility using an energy source which is not influenced by weather variations, such as en engine, are jointly used. Thereby, when the output of the electric power generation facility using an energy source which is influenced by weather variations decreases, the decrement can be compensated for by the electric power generation facility using an energy source which is not influenced by weather variations. In addition, the electric power generation facility using an energy source which can easily increase output can respond to a rapid increase in the amount of electric power required by the consumer.
The best energy source can be selected by considering the natural environment in the isolated area, economical efficiency, etc. However, the electric power generation facility using a renewable energy source and a non-fossil fuel, such as a wind mill, solar cell, methanol engine, fuel cell, micro-gas turbine, micro-water turbine, etc., are preferable. Moreover, the xe2x80x9crenewable energy sourcexe2x80x9d means the natural energy which is obtainable nearly limitlessly on the isolated area, such as sunshine, wind force, water power, etc or organisms, such as plants growing on the isolated area.
A fourth aspect of the present invention is the first power generation system, wherein the power generation system is used for a plurality of isolated areas; and a control center for controlling the electric power generation facilities, which is connected to the electric power generation facilities on the isolated areas via a communication device, is provided in at least one isolated area.
According to this power generation system, one control center controls the electric power generation facilities in a plurality of the isolated areas. Therefore, it is possible to decrease the number of the monitor and control persons in the electric power generation facilities. In addition, it is also possible to adjust optimally the output of the electric power generation facilities. Communication satellites such as a low-level orbital satellite, cable lines, etc. can be used as the communication device.
A fifth aspect of the present invention is the fourth power generation system, further comprising weather observation devices for obtaining weather observation data for the each isolated area and a control center for controlling the electric power generation facilities based on weather observation data input from the weather observation devices via the communication device.
In this power generation system, the control center controls the electric power generation facilities based on the weather observation data in response to weather variations. For example, when the solar cell which is influenced by weather variations and the engine which is not influenced by weather variations are jointly used as the electric power generation facility, and the output of the solar cell decreases due to weather variations, the amount of electric power required by the consumer can be obtained by increasing the output of the engine.
A sixth aspect of the present invention is the fourth power generation system, further comprising a fuel production device which produces fuel from the fuel material obtainable in at least one isolated area and supplies the fuel to at least one electric power generation facility.
According to this power generation system, it is not necessary to provide the fuel production device in all isolated areas. The produced fuel may be used in the isolated area where the fuel material is obtained, or may be used in the other isolated areas. When the power generation system is provided on a plurality of isolated islands, the fuel production device can be carried in a ship. When the power generation system is provided on a plurality of isolated land areas, the fuel production device can be carried in an automobile such as a trailer.
A seventh aspect of the present invention is the sixth power generation system, wherein the fuel material is a plant.
According to this power generation system, the fuel production device can be used in one isolated area while the plant is sufficiently growing again on another isolated areas where the plant is gathered.
A eighth aspect of the present invention is a fuel supply method comprising the steps of:
moving a fuel production device between each of a plurality of isolated areas where an electric power generation facility is provided;
producing fuel in the isolated area from the fuel material obtainable on the isolated area; and
supplying the fuel to the electric power generation facility.
According to this fuel supply method, it is not necessary to provide the fuel production device in all isolated areas. The produced fuel may be used in the isolated area where the fuel material is obtained, or may be used in the other isolated areas.
A ninth aspect of the present invention is the fuel supply method wherein the method comprises the steps of:
producing the fuel in the isolated area from plants obtainable on the isolated area; and
gathering the plants on the isolated area and moving the fuel production device in the other isolated area in order to gather the plants while the plants on the isolated area are growing.
Certain periods are required for growing the plant sufficient for harvesting again in the isolated area. In the meantime, the fuel production device moves to the other isolated area, the plant is gathered, and the fuel is produced from the plant. The produced fuel may be used in the isolated area where the fuel material is obtained, or may be used in the other isolated areas. When this fuel supply method is carried out in a plurality of isolated islands, the fuel production device can be carried in a ship. When this fuel supply method is carried out in a plurality of isolated land areas, the fuel production device can be carried in an automobile such as a trailer.